Seed treatment compositions historically have provided bacterial inoculation, chemical protection or, in certain instances, supplied micronutrients. These products have often been dry powders employing various dried carriers which are added to the seed before or at planting, although liquid slurries have also been used to pre-treat or preinoculate seed.
Combination products combining both agricultural chemicals and bacteria in the same package as dried powders have also been employed to pre-treat or pre-inoculate seeds. These prior art formulations containing bacteria and chemicals, however, have sometimes exhibited reduced bacterial activity after a period of time. Thus, such formulations have in some instances been found to be virtually without bacterial activity despite the presence of adequate bacteria in the formulations when initially composed.
The lack of uniform effectiveness of prior art formulations in which bacteria have been combined with fungicides and the like can apparently be attributed to the toxic effects of such chemicals on bacteria. Thus during storage, the bacteria are destroyed by the chemicals causing the reduced activity. After a sufficiently long storage period so few bacteria remain viable that the product is substantially without bacterial activity.
To be satisfactory and acceptable, the effectiveness of a seed treating composition must be known with certainty for a reasonable period of time. A seed pretreatment or inoculate composition which is to serve multiple functions must, therefore, provide a means for avoiding the toxic effect of agricultural chemicals on bacteria.
It is therefore the principle object of this invention to provide seed treatment compositions which contain combinations of bacteria and toxic chemicals substances which have a more stable, predictable effectiveness for an increased period of time.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a means for prolonging the viability and functional activity of bacteria in seed treatment products even in the presence of chemical substances which are normally toxic or deleterious to bacteria.
It is yet another object of the invention to improve seed treating compositions by prolonging bacterial viability, thereby insuring greater populations over time.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a practical means of combining needed toxicants with bacteria in pre-mixed and pre-measured dosages.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following description and examples.